Chargers vs Chiefs Predictions: NFL Week 1 Friday Preview

Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Chargers

Total: 47.5

Line: KC -3

Week 1 continues from Brazil as the defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs battle the Chargers in another primetime divisional spot. The Chiefs are installed as short field goal favorites while kick-off is set for 8 PM ET free for everyone to watch on YouTube. 

Kansas City Chiefs

KC will be without Rashee Rice tonight while he serves the first game of his six game suspension, but we have extreme continuity here between the roster and play-calling. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are all you need to have a fighting chance, and I like what KC did in the off-season to try and reinvent their offensive line. I’m expecting them to be better than last year’s team that went to the Super Bowl and they are once again my pick to represent the AFC in that regard come February. 

We should see a heavy dose of Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster in three wide sets for KC tonight. Worthy completely took over for this team sans Rice a year ago and we should expect him to operate in that role once again stepping into his sophomore campaign. He had a ton of end zone targets down the stretch of last season and can mix in the run game too – he is the most likely player to find success tonight on both sides of the offensive ball. 

I like JuJu as a sleeper though, expecting him to operate in the slot when on the field. He had 60 yards in the AFC Championship game without Rice in the lineup and could be counted on here for a bigger role if the game ends up in a neutral or trailing script for the Chiefs. 

I expect this Chargers defense to take a decent step back this year after losing a lot of their pass rush production from 2024. This should help the Chiefs big-time and it’s why I lean towards them in this game. 

Los Angeles Chargers

As for the Chargers on offense we have a few question marks that need answered tonight. For starters, they lost one of the best tackles in football in Rashawn Slater to injury in the preseason and how this o-line holds up against Chris Jones and company is going to be a big factor in the outcome of this game. 

I also want to see who operates more fully in the slot between Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen. I think most assumed it would be Allen upon his late camp signing but the Chargers made a point to put him out wide in his last preseason action. KC has operated as a slot-funnel defense in recent years and whichever of the two is there more fully tonight as an opportunity to exceed betting lines. McConkey also cooks man-coverage and KC runs a man-heavy scheme – he played them one time last year and turned in 67 yards and a touchdown. 

The RB situation is one to watch too with Najee Harris expected to play after missing all of camp with an eye injury suffered on 4th of July. If he’s good to go I’m expecting a pretty even split between him and Omarion Hampton to begin the season. 

 

Touchdown Prediction: Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster

Score Prediction: Chiefs 27, Chargers 23